It is a very long line. Hundreds of vehicles queuing almost bumper-to-bumper have formed this never-ending, not-so-straight line as they have been stranded on the Delhi-Kolkata highway for the last four days. And there appears to be no relief in sight.
After torrential rains in Bihar’s Rohtas district last Friday, diversions and service lanes built by the six-lane construction company at various locations on National Highway 19 have been flooded.
Potholes have appeared everywhere on these roads, and waterlogging has caused vehicles to slither across, worsening the traffic jams by the hour.
Even covering a distance of a few kilometres takes hours. The traffic jam clogging the highway has now stretched till Aurangabad, which is nearly 65 km from Rohtas.
There appears no effort from the local administration to get rid of the massive traffic jam. Neither the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) nor the road construction company have taken any action in the matter.
The situation is so dire that vehicles are able to cover only five kilometres in 24 hours.
“In the past 30 hours, we have travelled only 7 kilometers. Despite paying tolls, road taxes, and other expenses, we still face hours of traffic jams. Neither NHAI personnel nor the local administration are visible on the road,” said Praveen Singh, a truck driver caught in the jam.
“Have been stuck in traffic jams for two days. We are hungry and thirsty and in a miserable state. Even covering a few kilometres is taking hours,” said Sanjay Singh, another truck driver.
The traffic jam has also hit businesses. Drivers carrying raw food items are frightened by the massive traffic jam and worry about the loss of their raw materials. Pedestrians, ambulances, emergency services, and tourist vehicles are also facing the brunt of the traffic jam.
When NHAI Project Director Ranjit Verma was asked about the road blockage, he flatly refused to appear on camera.
(With inputs from Ranjan Singh Rohtas)